Latest news with #Wotsits
The Sun
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Walkers launches new snack that's perfect for pub-style entertaining in your garden
WALKERS is dropping a brand-new snack next week – and it's perfect for your summer get-togethers. The snack giant has unveiled two bold new additions under its That's Nuts range - and they're turning up the heat just in time for summer. First up, Doritos Flamin' Hot That's Nuts - crunchy, fiery flavour -coated peanuts that pack a spicy punch. Joining them are Wotsits That's Nuts in a Really Cheesy flavour, blending the iconic melt-in-your-mouth taste of Wotsits with a nutty crunch fans didn't know they needed. It's the ultimate twist on two pub snack staples - crisps and nuts - and perfect for serving up with drinks in the sunshine. It is also designed for sharing, making it ideal for BBQs, parties or casual outdoor nibbles with mates and a cold drink in hand. The bold new bites are set to hit shelves in major supermarkets on Wednesday 16th July. So, whether you're into fiery heat or full-on cheese, Walkers' That's Nuts range has your snack table sorted. More Returning Products Walkers has also revealed the first new Quavers flavour in three years. Tesco shoppers will be able to get their hands on the new Red Leicester Quaver flavour from the end of July. Other major supermarkets are due to stock them from September. The tasty snack is also available as a grab bag and multipack. Walkers confirm they've discontinued fan favourite flavour The crisps join fan favourites such as Cheese, Prawn Cocktail, and BBQ Sauce. And it is not the only new crisp flavour that Walkers has brought back. Fans were delighted to see Tomato Ketchup crisps back on shelves, after going missing for the last two years. They were also accompanied by multipacks of the Worcester Sauce flavoured crisps - which were originally brought back exclusively to a single store in Worcester. Why are products axed or recipes changed? ANALYSIS by chief consumer reporter James Flanders. Food and drinks makers have been known to tweak their recipes or axe items altogether. They often say that this is down to the changing tastes of customers. There are several reasons why this could be done. For example, government regulation, like the "sugar tax," forces firms to change their recipes. Some manufacturers might choose to tweak ingredients to cut costs. They may opt for a cheaper alternative, especially when costs are rising to keep prices stable. For example, Tango Cherry disappeared from shelves in 2018. It has recently returned after six years away but as a sugar-free version. Fanta removed sweetener from its sugar-free alternative earlier this year. Suntory tweaked the flavour of its flagship Lucozade Original and Orange energy drinks. While the amount of sugar in every bottle remains unchanged, the supplier swapped out the sweetener aspartame for sucralose.
South Wales Guardian
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- South Wales Guardian
Walkers releases brand new Red Leicester flavour Quavers
Along with its core crisps, Walkers is responsible for products including Wotsits, Quavers, Monster Munch, Squares and Bugles, as well as various ranges like Max and Sensations. The crisps giant has expanded its range recently, releasing several new products including: Walkers Extra Flamin' Hot flavour crisps Walkers also relaunched its Worcester Sauce crisps earlier this year, after they were discontinued back in 2023. Now, Walkers has released new Red Leicester Cheese Quavers. The new snack has already been spotted at Premier, Heron and Farm Foods stores across the UK. Shoppers have taken to social media to share their excitement about the new Quavers. One person, posting on Facebook, said: "These sound banging." Another added: "Oh man, need to try these." A third person commented: "Red to try these, they sound fanny tastic." While this crisp lover posted: "Gonna love these!!" The new Red Leicester Quavers come in single or multipacks (packs of six). Quavers already come in a variety of different flavours, including Prawn Cocktail, Cheese and BBQ Sauce. But a flavour no longer part of the Quavers range is Salt & Vinegar, after Walkers announced in November 2023 that it had been discontinued. RECOMMENDED READING: All Walkers crisps discontinued recently from Marmite to Salt & Vinegar Quavers Aldi confirms 'addictive' discontinued crisps labelled 'best ever' will return Discontinued Discos crisps labelled 'best to ever exist' to return after 20 years One fan, posting on X at the time, commented: "@walkers_crisps have you stopped making salt and vinegar quavers? I can't find them anywhere." A Walkers Crisps spokesperson replied: "We're sorry to break it to you Linda, but we're not making this flavour anymore." To which the lady responded: "And with no notice. This is a sad day."
North Wales Chronicle
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- North Wales Chronicle
Walkers releases brand new Red Leicester flavour Quavers
Along with its core crisps, Walkers is responsible for products including Wotsits, Quavers, Monster Munch, Squares and Bugles, as well as various ranges like Max and Sensations. The crisps giant has expanded its range recently, releasing several new products including: Walkers Extra Flamin' Hot flavour crisps Walkers also relaunched its Worcester Sauce crisps earlier this year, after they were discontinued back in 2023. Now, Walkers has released new Red Leicester Cheese Quavers. The new snack has already been spotted at Premier, Heron and Farm Foods stores across the UK. Shoppers have taken to social media to share their excitement about the new Quavers. One person, posting on Facebook, said: "These sound banging." Another added: "Oh man, need to try these." A third person commented: "Red to try these, they sound fanny tastic." While this crisp lover posted: "Gonna love these!!" The new Red Leicester Quavers come in single or multipacks (packs of six). Quavers already come in a variety of different flavours, including Prawn Cocktail, Cheese and BBQ Sauce. But a flavour no longer part of the Quavers range is Salt & Vinegar, after Walkers announced in November 2023 that it had been discontinued. RECOMMENDED READING: All Walkers crisps discontinued recently from Marmite to Salt & Vinegar Quavers Aldi confirms 'addictive' discontinued crisps labelled 'best ever' will return Discontinued Discos crisps labelled 'best to ever exist' to return after 20 years One fan, posting on X at the time, commented: "@walkers_crisps have you stopped making salt and vinegar quavers? I can't find them anywhere." A Walkers Crisps spokesperson replied: "We're sorry to break it to you Linda, but we're not making this flavour anymore." To which the lady responded: "And with no notice. This is a sad day."
The National
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
Scott Cummings on Franco Smith effect at Glasgow and Lions selection
Scott Cummings – the big cat in question – sits across from me, strategically placed directly beneath Mungo the giraffe to help negate any inferiority complex his six foot five frame had sparked in this more modestly proportioned correspondent. When Mungo traded a safari park in Holland for his current post in 2006, the museum staff famously struggled to get their £11,000 giraffe into the room after a measurement oversight, and although I wasn't quite so worried about that with the newly anointed British & Irish Lions lock, there were other concerns. There was a niggling feeling in the back of my mind that if we sat for long enough, we'd risk being classified and catalogued by an overzealous curator. Passing pensioners and schoolchildren of the future would ooh and ahh as their tour guide explained the vast differences between near relations 'homo eggchaserus', found mainly tackling its prey in fields and 'homo journalisticus', found mainly eating Wotsits in a swivel chair, technically the same species but difficult to fathom how. Cummings is used to the media setting up left-field photo opportunities though, mentioning an altogether regrettable instance involving pom-poms around the 2019 World Cup. The requests won't be slowing down any time soon. After his selection for the upcoming tour of Australia, alongside three of his club-mates in Sione Tuipulotu, Huw Jones and Zander Fagerson, Glasgow Warriors had commissioned portraits by Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Decade Gareth Reid, to be unveiled at the city landmark that evening. A few early school trips aside, the museum isn't Cummings' natural habitat – although that may well change. He's recently discovered he's going to be a father and hey, it's a cheap day out. 'It's sinking in a bit now, yeah,' he says. 'We did the first pram shopping at the weekend and started trying to get some nursery stuff. That's when you're really like 'what the heck?'. Catherine [his wife] gave us a list of stuff and I'm like, I don't even know what half this stuff is! 'I'm really good mates with Zander and he's got four kids – a six-year-old, a five-year-old and then they tried for a third and had twins – so he's got that chaos and it's quite nice having them for a few hours, so we're used to being with kids on our own. 'We're not due until October, so we've still got a bit more time. It's a shame Catherine can't travel, but with the tour timing-wise it ends up all right.' Cummings may need to change a few nappies upon return after his other surprise announcement. The tour whisks him away to Australia with Andy Farrell's squad next week until early August. Cummings will make his Lions debut from the bench against Argentina in Dublin, and the lock has as good a chance as any of cementing his place in the side when the Test matches kick off in earnest. With matches set up against the best club sides Oceania has to offer, ending in a three-match series against the Wallabies themselves, the rewards are there for the taking. A lovely video taken by Warriors staff during the selection announcement showed just how much it means to the Glasgow native and how well-liked he is in the dressing room. The place erupts as his name is read and, flanked by best pal Zander and fellow big unit Rory Sutherland, the pile-on is immediate. Scotstoun is built for scrums but not usually among the folding chairs of the conference room. The moment Scott found out he was a Lion 🦁 #WhateverItTakes ⚔️🛡️ — Glasgow Warriors (@GlasgowWarriors) May 8, 2025 'It was a pretty special moment,' says Cummings. 'Franco [Smith, Glasgow Warriors head coach] put us through a mauling session in the morning so we didn't have too much time to think about it and dwell on it. 'I would have been gutted if I hadn't been picked, definitely, but I'm so thankful that it happened. You're just counting through the letters because it's alphabetical, trying to see if it's going to happen or not. 'My first call was to Catherine – it was a shame because she'd actually got between two and half two off work for it, but she works on the NHS as a physio so she had to go back to the wards. She watched all the info at the start then missed me actually getting called out!' After a celebratory meal at Cameron House near Loch Lomond – no beers of course, with the Warriors' league season still winding up – a shattered Cummings had time to relish the achievement. It says much of his mental strength that he had never completely given up hope on making the 38-man shortlist. A broken arm ahead of the Six Nations deprived the second row of any chance to impress with Scotland and indeed he managed just 20 minutes on the park, coming off the bench in a URC cameo against Bulls, before selectors made their decision. 'It was a strange situation for me,' he admits. 'What I envisioned was having a good Six Nations would mean I've put myself forward for the Lions tour. Obviously getting injured the week before it was a massive blow to that plan. 'I was still fighting to get back fit for the end of the season for Glasgow but the Lions wasn't as much in my focus. I knew it was going to be three months [out]. I was just trying to go in my head 'right, what can I control?'. I've probably missed this opportunity. Thankfully it didn't work out that way. Scott Cummings at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum (Image: Colin Mearns) 'I think from rumours that there were like seven or eights odd boys that they were constantly chopping and changing between, so I'm sure there were some pretty tough decisions in there, but I'm just really thankful they've picked me to represent them.' It's likely John Dalziel played no small part in that. Although Cummings is held in high esteem by anyone who's been on the business end of his oncoming shoulder, the Lions selection process can be a murky business that can sometimes see standout candidates stood down in favour of the coaches' trusted lieutenants from back home. Having a Scotsman in the backroom making your case is always nice, and especially when you already get a bit of stick for being his golden boy. 'I get that a lot,' says Cummings with a laugh. 'It was literally one time in a line out in training I said his name in a strange way, and all of a sudden it's gone, it's grown arms and legs. Read more: 'I've been coached by JD loads throughout the years – he was my Under-20s coach, he was our forwards coach at Glasgow and then at Scotland, so I'm sure he'll have put in words for the Scottish contingent that have been selected, just as I'm sure the Irish coaches did for the Irish boys. 'I'm really happy for JD as well, he's a great coach that's come through the ranks in Scotland and to have a Scottish coach on the lines for the forwards is a massive, massive thing for him. We're all really happy for him.' That's not to say he's there as a favour. For the Kelvinside Academy graduate, this is the culmination of more than a decade of hard graft, building on his natural strengths and eliminating any weaknesses in his game. The son of a mother who works in the school's office and a dad who is a driving instructor, the family didn't have much interest in rugby in those early days – his brother hated playing himself - and so a young Cummings made progress on his own steam, with help from school coaches. 'The first thing that was bigger than just normal school rugby was I went to some under-15 regional stuff, and to be honest, I was quite a shy guy and I got dropped from it all,' he recalls. 'In the first rounds they just said I wasn't there. I wasn't great. 'The next year, I was close to not doing it again, but I went back to the under-16s. I still enjoyed playing but I didn't know if going down the actual rugby route was for me. But then this regional coach, Nic Humphries, he came and did extra sessions with me, helped me build my confidence up a bit and pushed me through. My first 15s coach, Davie Wilson at Kelvinside, pushed me on to go a bit further as well. 'You know what it's like with rugby, if you're a big kid when you're younger, you're good at rugby. You don't need to be that good to be good. But I've always been a quieter guy so developing that confidence was a big thing. 'There's a lot of big personalities in rugby, so you've got to fight for yourself.' There was no looking back for Cummings from there. The virus had spread. Season tickets with the Warriors followed, first at Firhill then Scotstoun, and watching Jason White clad in dark blue lifting the Calcutta Cup in 2008 became a formative memory. Mum accompanied him on the early trips, before pathway coaches with the Institute of Sport took over chaperone duties, helping the eager pupil shut out the excitement of the match to watch the movement of just one player, often fellow Kelvinside alumnus Richie Gray, and absorb as much as the could for their own game. Scour the annals of YouTube and you'll come across the Warriors' semi-final celebrations on the way to a 2015 Pro12 title win and when the camera pans across the Scotstoun stands, if you squint hard enough you can see Cummings, the Glasgow Warriors fan first and foremost, losing his mind. After coming through the academy system to make his debut at 18 and spending 10 years with the Warriors, Cummings is as invested as anyone in their success both on the pitch and off it. So what of the man who has elevated his club in so many ways? The head coach who may be headed for the door this summer? Franco Smith's future may be in doubt, but for Cummings there's no questioning the impact he has had on his players since the South African's arrival in 2022. 'He's someone who breaks down barriers that we probably set ourselves,' says Cummings. 'For example, the Bronco, the fitness test that we all run, we all get really nervous for it, so he'll make use run it at the end of sessions all the time just to be like 'See? It's not that bad'. Scott Cummings in Lions training (Image: Getty Images) 'He's very much someone that when you first come in you say 'Oh we can't do that', and he'll always ask 'Well, why not?' He's always pushing the limits of what you can do. 'There's been times where he's pulled me into his office and said 'You're playing well, but there's more in you. I think there's more from you. If you want to just be a Glasgow player in the Scotland team, then fine, but if you want to take the next step, here's what I need from you'. 'He's not afraid to challenge the big guys, more than other coaches. He's someone that, if he doesn't think those star players are performing, he'll tell you and drop you. 'He's definitely made sure that all 40 or 50 guys in the squads feel like they're going to play even though only 20 are going to get the chance on the weekend. "He rotates a lot – I think last year when we were going into the final, it wasn't until the last three games that he picked the same team, so everybody's ready and everybody's fighting and it breeds competition. He has belief in the young guys. 'Don't get me wrong, he trains us very hard as well, he's not just belief. He works us hard, we train the way we play, we need to be fit, we need to be able to run and do things under pressure, he's definitely added that side to us.' One sticking point on whether Smith sticks around to build on his success is the recent shift in policy around foreign players in the Scottish game. Scottish Rugby performance director David Nucifora has implemented an informal ruling around signing players from overseas who may block the pathway for Scottish prospects, much to the chagrin of the Warriors boss, who has lost Henco Venter and Sebastian Cancelliere after making clear he had plans for them at Scotstoun. Read more: As a Scot who prospered given his chance, what's Cummings' take on the difficult transition? 'I don't want to speak out of turn – it's a tough one,' he says. 'I understand the vision. Obviously the more Scottish players you have, the better for Scottish rugby but it's got to be a fine balance between that and still having the quality of players to compete. 'It's tough because there's some boys in there – Cancelliere, Henco, JP [du Preez] – foreigners that we really love, they've become part of our squad, their families have grown up here and it's pretty gutting this year that they're leaving and not a lot of people want them to leave. 'I can understand the plan it's just sometimes tough to take when you see the actual personal side of it as much as anything. "You also need to make sure young Scottish talent is ready to come through so it's a fine balance they have to strike with it.' For now, the domestic scene takes a back seat for the long summer ahead. Hotel rooms have to be sorted – Garry Ringrose was his room-mate for their London meet-up but he's keen to get acquainted with the other lads too – tickets may have to be procured – although Catherine won't make it over, his parents and some pals will make it Down Under – and of course, nursery construction beckons. 'In some ways my priorities will change – the wee one will be a massive part of my life,' he says. 'I'll go out there to make them proud. But I'm still going out there to make myself proud, make the rest of my family proud and for the sacrifices my wife and my family made growing up. Scott Cummings poses for a photo while on Lions duty in Dublin (Image:) 'For me it's just about making sure I gave it my all. My dream was to win the Six Nations with Scotland and then you're in hospital with a broken arm – it happens. It's just knowing I didn't leave anything out there. 'It's knowing I didn't let it become a chore because I know a lot of players who stop enjoying rugby. I make sure I enjoy every day because it's not going to last long, when you retire you go into a nine to five job and it'll be a lot tougher. 'We might complain about not getting looked after or that training should be shorter but at the end of the day we've got a pretty good life, so I don't want any regrets.' As we leave the holding room for Noah's Ark, one suspects life is about to get a lot wilder for Scott Cummings. It may be a zoo in here, but it's a jungle out there.
The Herald Scotland
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Scott Cummings on Franco Smith effect at Glasgow and Lions selection
When Mungo traded a safari park in Holland for his current post in 2006, the museum staff famously struggled to get their £11,000 giraffe into the room after a measurement oversight, and although I wasn't quite so worried about that with the newly anointed British & Irish Lions lock, there were other concerns. There was a niggling feeling in the back of my mind that if we sat for long enough, we'd risk being classified and catalogued by an overzealous curator. Passing pensioners and schoolchildren of the future would ooh and ahh as their tour guide explained the vast differences between near relations 'homo eggchaserus', found mainly tackling its prey in fields and 'homo journalisticus', found mainly eating Wotsits in a swivel chair, technically the same species but difficult to fathom how. Cummings is used to the media setting up left-field photo opportunities though, mentioning an altogether regrettable instance involving pom-poms around the 2019 World Cup. The requests won't be slowing down any time soon. After his selection for the upcoming tour of Australia, alongside three of his club-mates in Sione Tuipulotu, Huw Jones and Zander Fagerson, Glasgow Warriors had commissioned portraits by Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Decade Gareth Reid, to be unveiled at the city landmark that evening. A few early school trips aside, the museum isn't Cummings' natural habitat – although that may well change. He's recently discovered he's going to be a father and hey, it's a cheap day out. 'It's sinking in a bit now, yeah,' he says. 'We did the first pram shopping at the weekend and started trying to get some nursery stuff. That's when you're really like 'what the heck?'. Catherine [his wife] gave us a list of stuff and I'm like, I don't even know what half this stuff is! 'I'm really good mates with Zander and he's got four kids – a six-year-old, a five-year-old and then they tried for a third and had twins – so he's got that chaos and it's quite nice having them for a few hours, so we're used to being with kids on our own. 'We're not due until October, so we've still got a bit more time. It's a shame Catherine can't travel, but with the tour timing-wise it ends up all right.' Cummings may need to change a few nappies upon return after his other surprise announcement. The tour whisks him away to Australia with Andy Farrell's squad next week until early August. Cummings will make his Lions debut from the bench against Argentina in Dublin, and the lock has as good a chance as any of cementing his place in the side when the Test matches kick off in earnest. With matches set up against the best club sides Oceania has to offer, ending in a three-match series against the Wallabies themselves, the rewards are there for the taking. A lovely video taken by Warriors staff during the selection announcement showed just how much it means to the Glasgow native and how well-liked he is in the dressing room. The place erupts as his name is read and, flanked by best pal Zander and fellow big unit Rory Sutherland, the pile-on is immediate. Scotstoun is built for scrums but not usually among the folding chairs of the conference room. The moment Scott found out he was a Lion 🦁 #WhateverItTakes ⚔️🛡️ — Glasgow Warriors (@GlasgowWarriors) May 8, 2025 'It was a pretty special moment,' says Cummings. 'Franco [Smith, Glasgow Warriors head coach] put us through a mauling session in the morning so we didn't have too much time to think about it and dwell on it. 'I would have been gutted if I hadn't been picked, definitely, but I'm so thankful that it happened. You're just counting through the letters because it's alphabetical, trying to see if it's going to happen or not. 'My first call was to Catherine – it was a shame because she'd actually got between two and half two off work for it, but she works on the NHS as a physio so she had to go back to the wards. She watched all the info at the start then missed me actually getting called out!' After a celebratory meal at Cameron House near Loch Lomond – no beers of course, with the Warriors' league season still winding up – a shattered Cummings had time to relish the achievement. It says much of his mental strength that he had never completely given up hope on making the 38-man shortlist. A broken arm ahead of the Six Nations deprived the second row of any chance to impress with Scotland and indeed he managed just 20 minutes on the park, coming off the bench in a URC cameo against Bulls, before selectors made their decision. 'It was a strange situation for me,' he admits. 'What I envisioned was having a good Six Nations would mean I've put myself forward for the Lions tour. Obviously getting injured the week before it was a massive blow to that plan. 'I was still fighting to get back fit for the end of the season for Glasgow but the Lions wasn't as much in my focus. I knew it was going to be three months [out]. I was just trying to go in my head 'right, what can I control?'. I've probably missed this opportunity. Thankfully it didn't work out that way. Scott Cummings at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum (Image: Colin Mearns) 'I think from rumours that there were like seven or eights odd boys that they were constantly chopping and changing between, so I'm sure there were some pretty tough decisions in there, but I'm just really thankful they've picked me to represent them.' It's likely John Dalziel played no small part in that. Although Cummings is held in high esteem by anyone who's been on the business end of his oncoming shoulder, the Lions selection process can be a murky business that can sometimes see standout candidates stood down in favour of the coaches' trusted lieutenants from back home. Having a Scotsman in the backroom making your case is always nice, and especially when you already get a bit of stick for being his golden boy. 'I get that a lot,' says Cummings with a laugh. 'It was literally one time in a line out in training I said his name in a strange way, and all of a sudden it's gone, it's grown arms and legs. Read more: 'I've been coached by JD loads throughout the years – he was my Under-20s coach, he was our forwards coach at Glasgow and then at Scotland, so I'm sure he'll have put in words for the Scottish contingent that have been selected, just as I'm sure the Irish coaches did for the Irish boys. 'I'm really happy for JD as well, he's a great coach that's come through the ranks in Scotland and to have a Scottish coach on the lines for the forwards is a massive, massive thing for him. We're all really happy for him.' That's not to say he's there as a favour. For the Kelvinside Academy graduate, this is the culmination of more than a decade of hard graft, building on his natural strengths and eliminating any weaknesses in his game. The son of a mother who works in the school's office and a dad who is a driving instructor, the family didn't have much interest in rugby in those early days – his brother hated playing himself - and so a young Cummings made progress on his own steam, with help from school coaches. 'The first thing that was bigger than just normal school rugby was I went to some under-15 regional stuff, and to be honest, I was quite a shy guy and I got dropped from it all,' he recalls. 'In the first rounds they just said I wasn't there. I wasn't great. 'The next year, I was close to not doing it again, but I went back to the under-16s. I still enjoyed playing but I didn't know if going down the actual rugby route was for me. But then this regional coach, Nic Humphries, he came and did extra sessions with me, helped me build my confidence up a bit and pushed me through. My first 15s coach, Davie Wilson at Kelvinside, pushed me on to go a bit further as well. 'You know what it's like with rugby, if you're a big kid when you're younger, you're good at rugby. You don't need to be that good to be good. But I've always been a quieter guy so developing that confidence was a big thing. 'There's a lot of big personalities in rugby, so you've got to fight for yourself.' There was no looking back for Cummings from there. The virus had spread. Season tickets with the Warriors followed, first at Firhill then Scotstoun, and watching Jason White clad in dark blue lifting the Calcutta Cup in 2008 became a formative memory. Mum accompanied him on the early trips, before pathway coaches with the Institute of Sport took over chaperone duties, helping the eager pupil shut out the excitement of the match to watch the movement of just one player, often fellow Kelvinside alumnus Richie Gray, and absorb as much as the could for their own game. Scour the annals of YouTube and you'll come across the Warriors' semi-final celebrations on the way to a 2015 Pro12 title win and when the camera pans across the Scotstoun stands, if you squint hard enough you can see Cummings, the Glasgow Warriors fan first and foremost, losing his mind. After coming through the academy system to make his debut at 18 and spending 10 years with the Warriors, Cummings is as invested as anyone in their success both on the pitch and off it. So what of the man who has elevated his club in so many ways? The head coach who may be headed for the door this summer? Franco Smith's future may be in doubt, but for Cummings there's no questioning the impact he has had on his players since the South African's arrival in 2022. 'He's someone who breaks down barriers that we probably set ourselves,' says Cummings. 'For example, the Bronco, the fitness test that we all run, we all get really nervous for it, so he'll make use run it at the end of sessions all the time just to be like 'See? It's not that bad'. Scott Cummings in Lions training (Image: Getty Images) 'He's very much someone that when you first come in you say 'Oh we can't do that', and he'll always ask 'Well, why not?' He's always pushing the limits of what you can do. 'There's been times where he's pulled me into his office and said 'You're playing well, but there's more in you. I think there's more from you. If you want to just be a Glasgow player in the Scotland team, then fine, but if you want to take the next step, here's what I need from you'. 'He's not afraid to challenge the big guys, more than other coaches. He's someone that, if he doesn't think those star players are performing, he'll tell you and drop you. 'He's definitely made sure that all 40 or 50 guys in the squads feel like they're going to play even though only 20 are going to get the chance on the weekend. "He rotates a lot – I think last year when we were going into the final, it wasn't until the last three games that he picked the same team, so everybody's ready and everybody's fighting and it breeds competition. He has belief in the young guys. 'Don't get me wrong, he trains us very hard as well, he's not just belief. He works us hard, we train the way we play, we need to be fit, we need to be able to run and do things under pressure, he's definitely added that side to us.' One sticking point on whether Smith sticks around to build on his success is the recent shift in policy around foreign players in the Scottish game. Scottish Rugby performance director David Nucifora has implemented an informal ruling around signing players from overseas who may block the pathway for Scottish prospects, much to the chagrin of the Warriors boss, who has lost Henco Venter and Sebastian Cancelliere after making clear he had plans for them at Scotstoun. Read more: As a Scot who prospered given his chance, what's Cummings' take on the difficult transition? 'I don't want to speak out of turn – it's a tough one,' he says. 'I understand the vision. Obviously the more Scottish players you have, the better for Scottish rugby but it's got to be a fine balance between that and still having the quality of players to compete. 'It's tough because there's some boys in there – Cancelliere, Henco, JP [du Preez] – foreigners that we really love, they've become part of our squad, their families have grown up here and it's pretty gutting this year that they're leaving and not a lot of people want them to leave. 'I can understand the plan it's just sometimes tough to take when you see the actual personal side of it as much as anything. "You also need to make sure young Scottish talent is ready to come through so it's a fine balance they have to strike with it.' For now, the domestic scene takes a back seat for the long summer ahead. Hotel rooms have to be sorted – Garry Ringrose was his room-mate for their London meet-up but he's keen to get acquainted with the other lads too – tickets may have to be procured – although Catherine won't make it over, his parents and some pals will make it Down Under – and of course, nursery construction beckons. 'In some ways my priorities will change – the wee one will be a massive part of my life,' he says. 'I'll go out there to make them proud. But I'm still going out there to make myself proud, make the rest of my family proud and for the sacrifices my wife and my family made growing up. Scott Cummings poses for a photo while on Lions duty in Dublin (Image:) 'For me it's just about making sure I gave it my all. My dream was to win the Six Nations with Scotland and then you're in hospital with a broken arm – it happens. It's just knowing I didn't leave anything out there. 'It's knowing I didn't let it become a chore because I know a lot of players who stop enjoying rugby. I make sure I enjoy every day because it's not going to last long, when you retire you go into a nine to five job and it'll be a lot tougher. 'We might complain about not getting looked after or that training should be shorter but at the end of the day we've got a pretty good life, so I don't want any regrets.' As we leave the holding room for Noah's Ark, one suspects life is about to get a lot wilder for Scott Cummings. It may be a zoo in here, but it's a jungle out there.
